What is a physical therapist?
When asked what functions a physician serves, most people can likely provide a variety of fairly accurate answers. The same is probably true about nurses, dentists and personal trainers. However, ask the same questions about a physical therapist (PT) and you might get a very different set of answers. Even people who have had physical therapy may not have an accurate idea of what a PT knows or what functions they perform in the health care system.
According to the American Physical Therapy Association, in the United States in 2007 48.8 percent of practicing PTs had a master’s degree, 45.7 percent a bachelor's degree and 4 percent a doctoral degree. All PTs have a bachelor's degree prior to entering the graduate-level program specific to physical therapy. However, there are no longer any educational programs offering a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy. All educational programs now offer master’s degrees and many have progressed to the doctoral level. The primary motivation for educational institutions to increase the level of degree offered is the large volume of material that must be learned and the depth of knowledge needed to be a practicing physical therapist. The progression from the master’s degree to the doctoral degree is simply the addition of one semester of educational coursework. The normal number of hours per week spent in a classroom, lab or in the clinic during PT graduate education is 35-40 hours. This is compared to the typical bachelor’s degree requirements of 15-18 hours. All programs must be accredited by a professional agency in order for a PT to take their licensure exam upon graduation. As a part of this graduate education, each PT student completes several full-time clinical rotations (similar to medical residencies) in a variety of clinical settings like hospitals, rehabilitation units and outpatient clinics.
Through all of this, PTs learn how to evaluate patients with all types of diagnoses. For example, strokes and other neurological disorders, developmental disorders like cerebral palsy and orthopedic disorders like back pain and knee pain all require their own set of techniques and knowledge. According to the APTA, PTs “are health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives.” PTs are experts in body movement and all the factors that effect movement. They are also specialists in exercise and all the limitations that can occur due to setbacks like heart problems, diabetes, joint injuries, strength or deconditioning. PTs have knowledge in the use and prescription of adaptive equipment like wheelchairs, crutches, braces and shoe orthotics.
On a practical level, a PT would be a good choice if you suffer from back pain, shoulder pain, muscle tension headaches, diabetes, a stroke or just want to begin an exercise program safely. Due to their deep understanding of how the body moves and functions normally, a PT will take your individual body’s status into account when determining what treatment would be best. PTs examine each individual and develop a plan using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function and prevent disability.
The profession has been growing steadily over the last 20 years. Increases in the demand for therapists and the number of clinicians have led to improvements in academic and clinical education. However, the growth and development of the profession has not been accompanied by public awareness. During this time of rapidly rising rates of diabetes, joint replacements and back pain investigating the services of a PT would likely be an appropriate option for many. As with many professional choices, it is important to choose a PT that fits your needs. Many specialize in certain areas, like sports, pediatrics, geriatrics or neurology. If you need to find a PT in your area or would like further information on the types of offerings PTs can provide, log on apta.org.